Premium
Sample size considerations in human muscle architecture studies
Author(s) -
Tuttle Lori J.,
Ward Samuel R.,
Lieber Richard L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.23283
Subject(s) - muscle architecture , sample size determination , human muscle , coefficient of variation , muscle fibre , anatomy , fiber , sample (material) , medicine , statistics , skeletal muscle , mathematics , materials science , chemistry , composite material , chromatography
Abstract Introduction: This report is a meta‐analysis of the human muscle architecture literature that analyzes the number of muscles, number of subjects, and muscle fiber length coefficient of variation (CV) by body region. Methods: Muscle fiber length data are used to make recommendations for dissection‐based architectural study sample sizes. Results: An average of 9 ± 10 (mean ± SD) muscles and an average of 9 ± 5 subjects were reported in the 26 studies considered. Across all studies, average fiber length CV was highly variable (18% ± 5%). This shows that sample sizes required to achieve adequate power varies by anatomical region. Conclusions: Studies involving muscle architecture should consider regional variability and effect size and determine sample size accordingly. Muscle Nerve 45: 742–745, 2012